Memet Emin Yildiz – Director
Memet Emin Yıldız (born May 5, 1985, in Hınıs, Erzurum) is a dynamic filmmaker with a diverse and accomplished career. A graduate of Atatürk University with a degree in Radio, Television, and Film, Yıldız has participated in over 36 film projects, including renowned productions such as Filme Gel, Dedemin Gözyaşları, Güneşi Beklerken, and Fetih 1453.
In addition to his work on feature films, he has written and directed notable short films like Bitmeyen Gün and Badem Ağaçları. His creative expertise extends to producing commercials for prestigious brands such as Turkcell, Vodafone, Coca-Cola, and Mercedes-Benz.
Yıldız’s versatility is evident in his contributions to popular Turkish TV series, including Eşref Saati, Aşk-ı Memnu, and Kurtlar Vadisi. As a director and screenwriter, he has also crafted compelling documentaries, such as Vaslav Nijinsky and Gökçeada’ya Dokunma.
Spanning a wide array of roles and genres, Memet Emin Yıldız stands out as a talented and multifaceted professional in the Turkish film industry.
Onur Güler – Producer
Onur Güler was born on September 2, 1988, in Malatya, Turkey. He began his engineering studies at the Middle East Technical University in Ankara and has been living in Duisburg, Germany since 2011. In addition to producing documentaries, Güler is one of the founders of Özgür TV Media and works as a journalist and video maker. Alongside his hundreds of special programs as a journalist, he also produced the documentary “Prison or Exile” by Serif Cicek in 2021.
Alexis Kalk – Producer
Alexis Kalk was born in 1984 in Paris, France, and grew up in Istanbul. He is one of the founders of Nor Zartonk, Nor Radio, and the Armenian Culture and Solidarity Association in Istanbul. Kalk played an active role in the Camp Armen resistance. He campaigns in Europe and Turkey for the recognition of the Armenian Genocide and the establishment of peace between the peoples. Additionally, he serves as the European representative for Nor Zartonk. Kalk currently resides in Germany, where he studied mechanical engineering.
Adil Demirci – Co-producer
Adil Demirci was born in 1985 in Istanbul, Turkey, and has lived in Germany since 1992. As a social scientist, he works for a social organization in Cologne. The Mayor of Cologne, Henriette Reker, hosted a reception to mark his return from Turkey and thanked him for his “services to democracy.” Following his return, Demirci founded the association Voices of Solidarity – Vigil Cologne e.V., which focuses on human rights, and he serves as its chairman.
In addition, he has published several books, including Cell B-28 – As a Political Hostage in Istanbul (2021, Eckhaus Verlag) and Voices of Freedom – On the Freedom of Speech in Turkey (2022, featuring a contribution by Adil Demirci).
He has also been active in the film industry, contributing to the documentaries Prison or Exile (2021, 38 min.) and Tearing Walls Down (2023, 50 min.).
Serif Cicek – Co-producer
Serif Cicek was born in 1992 in Amed, Northern Kurdistan (Turkey). During his studies, he worked on numerous film projects in Istanbul as an assistant production designer and assistant director. In 2017 and 2018, he worked in Northern Syria as part of the Rojava Film Commune. He then moved to Germany and worked as a director and producer for Art Records Production. At Art Records, he directed and produced numerous music videos and TV shows. He recently released his first documentary film, “Prison or Exile,” which is currently being shown throughout Europe. Simultaneously, he serves as the European representative of the Rojava Film Commune.
Filmography:
1. Ji bo Azadiye/The End Will Be Spectacular (2019/Assistant Director)
2. Gefängnis oder Exil (2021/Author and Director)
3. Blackberry Season (2021/Post-Production Coordinator)
4. Kobane (2022/Co-Producer)
Orsola Casagrande – Co-producer
Orsola Casagrande was born in Venice and is a journalist. She worked for 25 years at the daily paper Il Manifesto, reporting from Ireland, the UK, Turkey, Kurdistan, Catalonia, and Cuba. Casagrande is currently based in the Basque Country. She has written and directed the following films: IRA (1993, for RAI 2), Berxwedan (2007), 301 (2008), and Con lo Que Tenemos (2010). Additionally, she collaborated with Metin Yegin on his feature films Grev (Strike) and Uç Kadin, Bir Grev (Three Women, One Strike).
Mesut Ethem Kavalli – Script Consultant
Mesut Ethem Kavalli was born in Heilbronn, Germany, in 1973. He completed primary and secondary school in Yavu, near Sivas/Yıldızeli. After graduating from the Sivas Industrial Vocational School’s Machine Model Department, he returned to Germany. His work titled “Eksik Kalmış Hikâyeler – Unfinished Stories,” which consists of family stories from survivors of the Armenian and Pontos Genocide, was published in 2021. Kavalli is a member of the “Group of European Writers from Turkey” and the “Verein der Völkermordgegner e.V.,” an organization that has been advocating for genocide recognition and justice for many years. He works in the quality management department of an industrial company.